Apparatus for the fluid casting of decorative-surfaced butter patties



Dec. 20, 1966 L. PETERS ETAL 3,292,258

APPARATUS FOR THE FLUID CASTING OF DECORATIVE-SURFACED BUTTER PATTIESOriginal Filed Sept. 13, 1963 7 Sheets-Sheet 1 Dec. 20, 1965 PETERS ETAL3,292,258

APPARATUS FOR THE FLUID CASTING 0F DECORATIVE-SURFACED BUTTER PATTIESOriginal Filed Sept. 13, 1963 '7 Sheets-Sheet 2 D 1956 L. PETERS ETAL 2APPARATUS FQR THE F D CASTING OF DECORATIVE- AGED I TTER PATTIESOriginal Filed Sept. 13, 1965 '7 Sheets-Sheet 5 m 5 1:1 *W film/i013Dec. 20, 1966 APPARATUS FOR Original Filed Sept. 15, 1963 PETERS BUTTERPATTIES ETAL OE" DECORATIVE5HRFACEU THE UID CASTING '7 Sheets-Sheet Dec.20, 1966 S ETAL 3,292,258

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APPARATUS FOR THE D CASTING OF DECORATIVE-SURFACED BUTTER PATTIESOriginal Filed Sept. l3, 1963 7 SheetsSheet 5 Dec. 20, 1966 P s ETAL3,292,258

APPARATUS FOR THE FLUID CASTING OF DECORATIVE-SURFACED BUTTER PATTIESOriginal Filed Sept. 13, 1963 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 v o l 271%]; EF/L My a l[W Dec. 20, 1966 PETERS ETAL 3,292,258

APPARATUS FOR THE FLUID CASTING OF DECORATIVE-SURFAGED BUTTER PAT'I'IESOriginal Filed Sept. 13, 1963 7 Sheets-Sheet 7 United States Patent3,292,258 APPARATUS FOR THE FLUID CASTING OF DEC- ORATIVE-SURFACEDBUTTER PA'ITIES Leo Peters, 750 Plymouth Road SE., Grand Rapids, Mich.,

and Albert P. Burke, Birmingham, Mich-3 said Burke assignor to saidPeters Original application Sept. 13, 1963, Ser. No. 308,785.

Divided and this application Apr. 13, 1965, Ser. No.

5 Claims. (Cl. 31-7) This invention relates to an apparatus for thefluid casting of decorative-surfaced butter patties and is a division ofapplication Serial No. 308,785, filed September 13, 1963, now abandoned.

One of the most elegant of the ancient culinary arts was the serving ofindividual service-sized patties of butter in shapes that delight theeye, enhance the decor of a festive meal, and extend the motif of acommemorative dinner. To practice this art, the standard procedure hasbeen to press a piece of butterin a oneor two-sectioned mold of thedesired design. The piece of butter thus molded is then extracted fromits mold by carefully prying it out with a fork or other instrument thatwill not mutilate it too severely.

At best, this is a time-consuming and wasteful procedure that producesrelatively ill-defined and crude surfaced designs. Because butter issticky at moldable temperatures, it is extremely diflicult to removefrom rigid molds without some mis-shaping. Intricate designs withdelicate definition are impossible. Thus, this has been a manual artunadaptable to commercial utilization.

However, there is a distinct need among both home makers, who delight ingiving well-appointed family and party meals, as well as restaurantowners and chefs, who are always looking for better ways to serve theircustomers, for a more presentable and decorative manner of servingbutter patties without the high cost and timeconsuming job of handmolding. Although much time and thought has been given to this by thebutter industry, and several costly attempts have been made to fulfillthis marked desire, there has been no answer to this commercial need.

An important difliculty standing in the way of realizing theabove-mentioned desirable commercial product has been the unavailabilityof procedures to protect the body of butter in such a way as to preserveits unique spreading and flavor release characteristics undertemperatures other than those heretofore used to produce butter patties.The manufacturers of butter have been loath to tamper with thesecharacteristics because the acceptance and/or rejection of butter as afood is highly dependent upon the presence or absence of thesecharacteristics. Here, we refer to the emulsified crystalline body ofbutter in its fat phase. It is this body structure that gives it thecharacteristic spreading smoothness and cooling flavor release as itdecrystallizes and breaks up under mouth and tongue heat. To maintainthese characteristics, butter has traditionally been processed andpackaged at temperatures substantially under 7 0 F.

By contrast, when butter is processed into packages at substantiallyover 70 F., i.e., at temperatures which break up and de-ernulsify itsbody, a commercially undesirable, grainy, poorly emulsified, body hasbeen the result. Spreading smoothness and cooling flavor release arepartially lost.

The instant invention makes use of the characteristics of butter whichare presently considered liabilities for molding purposes (i.e., (1) itsstickiness at any moldable temperature, and (2) its deemulsifyingtendencies above 70 F.) and uses them in a manner which has turned theminto assets. The instant invention takes butter at temperatures so highthat it will flow under ice the influence of gravity, fill completelyintricate-walled patty-sized molds, and stick tightly to the walls ofsuch molds. Thereafter, the butter is cooled into a cast unit thatperfectly accepts the shape and surface definition of the molds, fromwhich chilled butter patties are ejected without damage.

-It is, therefore, an object of the invention to provide a means forforming butter into small individual servicesized patties by fluidand/or semi-fluid casting of butter in pre-formed reversible packagemolds having at least one open side for ejection of the patty.

To understand the surprising nature of our processing innovation, andthe importance of butter fluidity for casting patties, the following isset down:

(1) The nature of butter and what this has meant for prior methods andmeans for making butter patties.- Butter is essentially an emulsion (acolloidal suspension of a liquid in another liquid) of water and oil anda small amount of salt and solids which, at room temperature, is in asolidified or fat phase. In this crystallized or fat phase, it ismarketable. Of all the marketed edible table fats, it is the only onewhich has a natural melting-point (decrystallization or flavor releasepoint) slightly below the temperature of the human body. With normalbody temperature of about 98 F. and the emulsion break point of butterat approximately 92 B, it is the ideal natural fat to give the humantongue its most perfect fat flavor sensation.

Thus, it can be taken into the body as a fat (under 92 F.) with thephysical convenience this provides, and quickly changed into an oil bythe 98 F. temperature of body heat, reelasing as it de-crystallizes itsessential flavor and coolant effect, while leaving the tongue free ofany residual oily film. It is this natural quality of butter whichmargarine makers endeavor to tailor into their product, and it is thisquality that must be recognized and protected when processing butter ina semi-fluid or fluid, but at the same time in a crystallized, orsemicrystallized state, or, in any event, in an emulsion-intact state.Once the emulsion has been completely broken by going above the 92 F.break point, the flavor-releasing action produced by breaking of theemulsion is lost, and the body of the butter becomes grainy and salvy.It is desired that any fluid casting of butter into package molds becarried out below the top critical temperature of 92 F., or, if thetemperautre rises above this breakpoint, the emulison be maintained byphysical agitation of the butter. It is obvious, of course, that as thetemperature is lowered, butter becomes less fluid; its fluidity is suchthat it will flow at gravity when its temperature is above while at 70it is semi-fluid.

Pn'or methods of processing butter into packages have stayed well awayfrom the critical emulsion break-point because some of the eleven fattyacids found in butterfat have melting points well under the compositebreakingpoint of 92 F. The following table shows the percentage andmelting points of the several fatty acids that make up butter:

TABLE Fatty Acid Range of Melting Percentage Point, F.

T.innlpir 0. 0 5. 4 O. 6 l. 3 to 3. 3 14. 9 2. 2 o 5. 5 17. 6 48. 3 57.2 5 to 1. 9 61. 1 3 to 3. 0 87. 8 6 to 7. 7 118. 4 22. 6 136. 4 38. 6147. 2 20. 4 158. 2 t0 1. 2 170. 6

It will be noted from the preceding table that it is possible to havewell over 60% of the fatty acids in a given butter composition having amelting point under the composite break-point of 92 F. Note also thatthe largest fatty acid constituent of butter is oleic acid, which has amelting point of 57.2 F. Because of this, prior commercial productionhas (a) stayed Well under the danger temperature zone beginning at about70 F. and (b) used methods and machines that can only make patties whenthe butter is in a solid, rather than a semi-fluid or fluid, state.

(2) The nature and purpose of packaging of the kind disclosed in thecopending applicatins.--Here reference is made to the copendingapplications, Serial No. 185,901, filed April 9, 1962; Serial No.250,087, filed January 8, 1963; and Serial No. 206,591, filed March 20,1963, all now abandoned.

All prior art in the field of butter patty packaging uses packagingsimply as a protective carrier forv the patty itself. Packaging has nopart or function in the formtion of the patty. The patty is pre-formedas an integral complete piece, and then packaging materials are cut,folded, wrapped and/ or modified over and/or around the patty to protectand carry it. According to my invention, the opposite takes place. It isthe packaging that is pre-formed and it is the butter that is modifiedto fit into it. The package serves to protect and carry the patties, butit also does more-itserves as a casting mold which shapes and surfacedecorates the butter and, in a literal sense, it makes the patty. It isthis cooperation and relationship between the package and butterthat-distinguishes my butter patty development from the prior art inthis field, and it is the modification of the butter itself and thefluid casting of itinto a preformed surface-decorated, reversible moldpackage that is of the essence of this cooperative accomplishment and assuch constitutes 'an important feature of the invention.

. 'port, it is apparent that butter enters the molds in-a fluid orsemifiuid state. Pre-formed firm or nonflowable butter would hopelesslymisshape and deform such delicate mold cavities.

(3) The precise nature and purpose of patty shapes.- The restauranttrade requires a butter patty to be of a uniform, defined shape andsize, usually square or rectangular in shape and about A" thick;preferably with the large top side having an attractive decorativesurface,

and the opposite bottom side smooth and flat so that it can lie evenlyon a serving plate.

To meet these specifications and purposes, we have found that the 20 F.danger zone temperature range (from 70 to 90 R, which is 2 under the 92F. emulsion break-point) provides a butter flowability forproper castingof the butter in our thin, decorative-walled,

"the decorative surface, and at the same time vibrate or press the castbutter so as to level it on the open side of the mold to provide aflat-surfaced base for the patty V without distorting the thin filmmold.

An added benefit derives from our packaging in the production of pattiesmade from whipped butter. Be-

cause whipped butter cannot be compressed or cut while cold without somedamage to its air-cell-containing body and discoloring its surf-aces, itis commercially impractical to make whipped butter patties using themethods and 4 means of the prior art. Because my apparatus does notpre-form the patty, compress or cut cold butter, it provides a superiorcommercial way to produce whipped butter patties.

To summarize, then, it will be seen from the foregoing that the purposeof our packaging and the purpose Yet another object is to provide means.that utilize; those characteristics of butter that are found in the hightemperature, danger -zone (characteristics. that hitherto have beenconsidered, liabilities and disadvantages in the processing andpackaging of butter patties) in a manner that surprisingly makes themassets and advantages in the production of butter patties.

A further specific object is to cast fluid butter intointricate-surfaced mold bottoms so that the butter completely fills andtightly adheres to the surfaces of the -rnold without any substantialshape-deforming air pockets forming between the buttter: and the moldwalls.

Another specific object is to cast fluid butter into. open-ended,patty-sized molds, and then level the butter on the open side of themold into a substantially flat surface.

Other objects and advantages of the invention may be' seen in thedetails of construction and operation set down in thisspecification.

The invention is explained in conjunction with the accompanying drawing,in which FIGS. 1 and 1A (when joined along the junction line A'A)constitute a fragmentary side ele-vational view of apparatus employed inthe casting of butter patties;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary top plan view of a pocketequipped web employedin conjunction with the apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary enlanged top plan view of 1 the portion ,of FIG.2 shown within the circle designated 1 3 therein;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view, taken along the sight line 4-4of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a typical butter patty producibleaccording to the present invention, and FIG. 5A is a perspective viewof'the .patty being removed I from its die;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of the apparat usof FIG. 1such as would be seen along the sight line 6-6 applied to FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of the centrallongitudinal portion of the apparatus of FIG. 1A showing the feedmechanism;

FIG. 8 is a transverse sectional view of the feedv mechanism as would beseen along the sight line 8.-8

of FIG. 1A; and

FIGS. 9-11 are fragmentary sectional views of the feed portion of theapparatus shown in the process of. delivering a stream of fluidizedbutter to the patty m0lds.;

Referring now to the drawing and in particular to FIGS. 1 and 1A, thenumeral 20 designates generally the frame of the machine, which at oneend is equipped with a roll of plastic web material such as 0.002" thickpolyvinyl chloride, to provide the mold-equipped web.

for developing cast butter patties. The web is seen in FIGS. 2-4, andthe resultant butter patty is seen in FIG. 5. V

For this purpose, the apparatus of FIG. 1 is equipped with a web-moldingsection generally designated 22, a filling-casting section generallydesignated 23, a settling section generally designated 24, and a cut-offmechanism generally designated 25. The apparatus is operated primarilyfrom the main drive motor 26 secured to an intermediate portion of theframe 20. A separate jogger motor 27 is also provided on the main frame20 for leveling the cast butter within the mold in a fashion which willbe described in greater detail hereinafter.

Power from the motor 26 is employed to advance the film or web from theroll 21 and through the mold forming section 22 wherein the film issubjected to a mold-forming operation to provide the embossed molds 21a(see FIGS. *3 and 4). In FIGS. 3-5. a variety of embossed designs can:be seen, and ultimately the web is transversely severed as along lines21b and 21c to provide handleable packages for a plurality of the butterpatties.

Thus, the overall procedure contemplates unwinding film which may be theabove-mentioned 2 mil thick unplasticized polyvinyl chloride, the filmbeing free of plasticizer which may have a toxic character.Alternatively, unoriented Mylar-(ethylene glycol terephthalate, marketedby E. I. du Pont de Nemours & Co., of Wilmington, Delaware), rigidpolyethylene butyrate, or Saran (vinylvinylidene chloride, marketed byDow Chemical Company, of Detroit, Michigan), may be used. Optimally, themolds 21a are sized to develop standard butter patties, which are oneinch squares having a thickness of A". Thus, the depth of thepatty-forming mold 21a is slightly greater than A" to permit levelingand prevent overfiow. The plastic web extends continuously along thelength of the apparatus of FIG. 1, with the major portion thereof beingequipped with the molds 21a. The entire web is advanced incrementallythrough the various stations by apparatus which is now to be describedin conjunction with the various mechanisms (for mold forming, casting,settling, and cut-off.

Web supply mechanism Referring still to FIG. 1, the numeral 28designates a pedestal bracket secured to the fram 20 which carries ajournal 29 in which the cross shaft 30 of the web roll 21 is rotatablysupported. Web material from the roll 21 is unwound and carried over theidler roll 31 (see the extreme left-hand portion of FIG. 1) and towardthe web-shaping or mold-forming section 22.

For this purpose, the inventive apparatus is equipped with a first webcarriage generally designated 32, which is mounted for horizontalreciprocatory movement in suitable ways on the frame 20. Provided on thecarriage 32 are first and second grippers 33 and 34, respectively, whichserve to grip the sides of the web issuing from the roll 21 so as toadvance it toward the discharge end of the apparatus.

For the purpose of providing the reciprocal movement, the motor 26 isequipped with a chain and sprocket drive 35 which operates anintermediate or timing shaft 36 rotatably mounted on the frame 20. Asecond chain and sprocket drive 37 connects the timing shaft 36 with themain drive shaft 38, which is also rotatably mounted on the frame 20.The shaft 38 and certain of its associated component parts may also beseen in FIG. 6.

Fixed to the rotating main shaft 38 is the main drive cam 39, whichserves to provide the reciprocatory motion characteristic of the firstweb carriage 32. This reciprocatory motion is achieved through a camfollower 40 rotatably carried by a cam follower arm 41. The cam followerarm 41 is fixed to a rocker shaft 42 (see also FIG. 6), and also fixedto the rocker shaft 42 is a lever arm 43, the lever arm 43 beingpivotally connected to the first web carriage 32. Thus, as the cam 39rotates the cam follower 40 in following the cam contour converts therotational movement to a re ciprocating action at the pivot point 43a.

During the forward movement of the carriage 32 (i.e., toward thedischarge end of the apparatus), the grippers 33 and 34 engage the sidesof the sheet along both longitudinal edges to advance the web sheet andthereby unroll the roll 21. At the end of the forward stroke, thegrippers 33 and 34 are released, while stationary grippers to bedescribed are energized to immobilize the sheet while the carriage 32 isretracted. Timing of the operation of the first and second movablegrippers 33 and 34, respectively, and the alternative actuation of thestationary grippers is conveniently provided by a pneumatic system (notshown) associated with and operated by the timing shaft 36.

During the return or retraction movement of the first carriage 32, theweb is stationary, and during this time the various operationsassociated with mold-forming, casting, jogging and cut-off mechanismstake place.

In the illustration given, each of these operations is achieved :by amechanism that operates along a vertical path transverse to the lengthof the web, and each operation is conveniently achieved throughcam-controlled devices, only one of which will be described in detailfor the purpose of explanation, and that relative to the shaping section22.

Mold-forming section The mold-forming section includes a heater 44 and adie 45 shaped according to the size and decorative character of thevarious molds 21a. Here, it will be appreciated that the molds 21a neednot all have the same embossing or decorative design, and, preferably,groups of 12 different designs may be employed so as to provide varietyin the resultant patties. Utilizing the above-mentioned 2 mil thickpolyvinyl chloride film, a heater having a surface temperature of theorder of 230 250 F. operates suitably to develop the molds 21a.

Cooperating with the heater 44 is the die or mold 45 into which the webis drawn under the influence of mechanical and pneumatic pressure in thefashion described in the Patent No. 3,033,737. For this purpose, boththe heater 44 and the mold 45 are vertically reciprocated to engage theweb, the heater 44 moving downwardly at the beginning of a web-formingoperation, while the mold 45 moves upwardly. For this purpose, a camshaft 46 (see FIG. 6) is suitably journaled within the main frame 20 andis driven by a chain and sprocket drive 47 which is coupled to the maindrive shaft 38. The cam shaft 46 carries four earns, a pair of earns 48on oppositie sides of the machine for actuating the mold 45, and asecond pair of spaced-apart cams 49 for developing the movement of theheater 44. Associated with each heater cam 49 are a pair of camfollowers 50 which are carried by a cam follower shaft 51. In likefashion, mold cam followers 52 are associated with the mold cams 48, andthese in turn operate the mold cam follower shafts 53. As can beappreciated from FIG. 6, the caming mechanisms are symmetrical about thelongitudinal center line except for the provision of the chain andsprocket drive 47. The rotational movement of the cams 48 and 49 isconverted into a reciprocal motion of the shafts 51 and 53,respectively, whereby the heater 44 is lowered at the beginning of aforming cycle and the die 45 is elevated.

After the forming operation has been completed, the web is advanced adistance corresponding to the width of the mold 45, whereupon new filmis available for a subsequent forming operation.

Ultimately, the mold-equipped web (see FIGS. 24) is advanced to aposition under the filling head 54 which is provided as part of thecasting mechanism generally designated.

7 Butter-casting section A reservoir or hopper 55 is suitably mounted onthe frame 20 so as to provide a continuous supply of butter fluidized bybeing maintained at a temperature in the range of 70-90 F.Advantageously, the butter may be whipped, in which fiuidization isenhanced through the incorporation therein of air in highly dispersedform, and which conventionally occupies about 50% of the volume of thebutter.

During the time the continuous web is stationary, fluidized butter fromthe hopper 55 is simultaneously discharged into a plurality of the molds21a, this operation being appreciated best from a consideration of FIG.7.

In FIG. 7, it is seen that an oscillating cylinder 56 constituting ametering valveis associated with the bottom of the hopper 55 through theprovision of a cylinder housing 57. When the cylinder is in the positionwherein the flow channel 58 is in the dotted line position seen in FIG.7, fluid butter flows out of the hopper 55 into a plunger guide tube 59.Subsequent rotation of the cylinder 56 brings it to the conditionwherein the flow passage 58 is seen in solid line, whereupon the fluidbutter is communicated with the filling head 54. Serving to expel andinspire the fluid butter is a plunger 59a suitably operated by amechanism 59b (see FIG. 1), deriving power from the main drive motor 26.Thus, during the time the web is not being advanced by the first webcarriage 32, the plunger 59a expels fluid butter through the passage 58and into the filling head 54 fordischarge through the nozzles54a intothe molds 21a. As seen inFIG. 7, the extreme righthand molds are filled,while the five molds under thefilling head are in the process of beingfilled, the-re'being an intervening unmolded area as at 21b which isultimately used for transversely severing the film into discretesegments, each having a plurality of molds 21a.

The filling operation is pictorially show-n in FIGS. 9-1 1, wherein thevarious stages are seen in sequence. Referring to FIG. 9, andunderstanding that the film 21 proceeds to the right in advancing towardthe discharge or cut ofi point, it will be seen that the nozzles 54a arepositioned above the rear portion of each mold 21a. During'the firstone-third to one-half of the casting cycle, the film 21' is in the FIG.9 positionrelative to the fixed nozzles 54a. In other words, the film21' has been ad vanced by the various carriages a distance suflicient toposit-ion themiddle of the mold 21a forwardly of the nozzle 54a.

After about one-half of the casting cycle has been completed, the film21 is subjected to a retrograde movement, as illustrated in FIG. 10,wherein the film 21 is actually retracted a slight distance, i.e., aboutone-half the longitudinal dimension of the mold zla. This positions theforward one-half of each mold 21a under its associated nozzle 54a, as isdepicted in 'FIG. 10.

At about the conclusion of the casting cycle, the film 21 is advancedtoward discharge, now under the influence of the various carriages, soas to develop an overlying tail which facilitates the ultimate castingoperation within the molds.

Aiding in the discharge of the fluid butter through the nozzles 54a isan O-ring 60 provided on the plunger 59a and a suitable drivingmechanism for the oscillating cylinder 56 which includes a linkageconnection 61 operatively associated with the cross drive shaft 62 (seeFIG. 1). Thus, rotational power is delivered to the drive shaft 62through a suitable chain and sprocket system 62a, and this in turn isutilized to power the eccentrically connected linkage element 61 and thereciprocating plunger 59a. For the purpose of supporting themoldequipped web 21' under the filling head 54, a supporting structure63 in the nature of an egg crate is provided, made up oflongitudinally-extending bars 63a and transverse interconnecting ba-rs63b (see FIG. 8). The sup porting structure 63 is the mechanism employedto give the alboveainentioned retrograde movement to the 'moldequippedfilm 21' illustrated in FIG. 10. For this pur-m pose, the supportingstructure 63 is first elevated into engagement with the mold-equippedfilm 21' through mechanisni illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8. For thispurpose,'the structure 63 is supported on a vertically and horizontallyreciprocatable carriage generally designated 64, with the mechanismproviding the vertical reciprocation being generally designated by thenumeral 65. This includes a chain and sprocket drive mechanism 66(designated only in FIG. 1), which couples the drive shaft 62 to a crossshaft 68 which is also suitably journaled in the frame 20 as seen inFIG. 8. The oross'shaft 68 carries a cam 69 mold-equipped film 21', andthe rear portion ofeach mold 21a filled as illustrated in FIG. 9,another cam 73 (seen only in FIG. 8) operates a rocker arm 74 (see FIG.7) through a suitable cam follower 73a and cam follower arm 73b. Therocker arm 74 is connected by meansof a lever linkage 75 to the carriage64 as seen in FIG. 7 so as to retract the film 21' to the FIG. 10condition. videdfor the purpose of intermittently advancing the 'web 21'between casting operations as just outlined, is a second Web carriage 76which is slidably mounted on the frame 20 tor horizontal reciprocatoryaction. Still further, a third web carriage generally designated 77ispro vided for the same purpose, the third web carriage beingpositioned for movement between the settling mechanism 24 and thecut-off mechanism 25. Each of the second and third carriages 76 and 77are equipped with grippers as at 76a and 77a, respectively, for engagingthe sides of the film during the forward portion of the reciprocatorycycle.

grippers as at 78 in FIG. 8 for the purpose of confining the film whenthe grippers 76a and 77a are in unactuated condition. In similarfashion, the frame 20 adjacent the discharge end, i.e., the cut-offmechanism 29, is equipped with a second stationary gripper'mechanism at79-(see FIG. 1) also for the purpose of restricting web movement duringretraction of the various carriages.

The carriages 76 and 77 are interconnected by connect-q ing rods as at80, while the first and second carriages are similarly connected byconnecting rods as at '81 (see FIG; r

l). The point of connection between the connecting rods 81 and thefirstcarriage 32 as at 81a, includes an adjustv able feature so as to insurethat the molds 21a are properly beneath the filling head at thecommencement of a filling-casting cycle.

Once the molds 21a have been filled as in FIG. 11, and here it will beappreciated that the configuration of the thin, relatively wide ribbonsubstantially minimizes the presence of air pockets, the web 21' isadvanced into position over a settling or jogging device for completionof the filling-casting operation.

Settling section Referring'to FIG. 1A, the numeral 82 designates a chainand sprocket drive coupling a speed reducer 83 to a cross shaft 84, thespeed reducer 83 being powered by the jogger motor 27. Fixed to thecross shaft 84 is a cam 85 which operates against reciprocatable camfollowers in the fashion illustrated relative to the mold-forming andbutter-casting sections.

A cam responsive mechanism is designated 86 and is coupledto a supportstructure including a plurality of side-by-side jogger rails 87 whichare longitudinally.

Pro-

The carriage 64 which is positioned for orbital. movement under thefilling head 54, is equipped with 9 aligned with the rails 63a as seenin FIG. 1A. The action of the jogger rails 87 under the influence of thecam 85 is more in the nature of a jog than a smooth reciprocation,imparting a slight but sudden jolt to the rails 87 of the order of aquarter of an inch and in the range of 200 to 300 times per minute,whereby the top open surface of the moldcast fluidized butter becomessmooth. This ultimately provides a smooth flat base for the butter pattyto rest on when the web 21' is inverted and the chilledcast pattiesreleased according to the teaching in the above-mentioned earlierapplications.

Following the settling or jogging operation, the smoothtopped pattiesare advanced to the cut-off mechanism which incorporates a reciprocatingmechanism 88 for the purpose of transversely severing the web 21 asalong the lines 21b and 21c. This provides discrete film segments, eachof which may comprise upwards of 80 individual molds 21a. In theillustrated embodiment, the severed segments carry 80 such molds andmeasures about 6 x 18', whereby handling is facilitated. Suitablemechanism (not shown) is provided at the discharge point in FIG. 1 forsupporting the severed segments for transfer to refrigeration wherebythe temperature of the mold-cast butter is reduced to about 40 F., andthe butter hardened to an integrally-cohesive, fully cast unit easilyremovable from its mold.

It is believed that the practice of the invention will be facilitated bya summary of the operations just described, and for that reason thefollowing is set down.

Operation A first web carriage generally designated 32 (see FIG. 1) ishorizontally reciprocably mounted on a frame 20 and actuated by the maindrive motor 26. On the forward motion of the first web carriage 32, thegrippers 33 and 34 engage the web 21' along each longitudinal sidethereof to advance the web incrementally. During retraction of the firstweb carriage 32, the web 21' is stabilized by the provision ofessentially stationary grippers 78 (see FIG. 8) provided as part of afilling head carriage 63.

During the retraction of the first web carriage 32, cams operated fromthe main drive shaft 38 move a heater 44 downwardly and a die 45:upwardly into contact with the film 21 to develop the embossed molds21a seen in FIGS. 3 and 4. The heater may be equipped with a face thatconfronts the film, the die 45 being relatively chilled and equippedwith vacuum connections for drawing the heated film into the diepockets. Ordinarily, this operation can be performed in the time ofabout one to one and onerhalf seconds.

contemporaneously with the forward, i.e., toward discharge, movement ofthe first web carriage 32, there are similar movements of the second andthird web carriages 76 and 77 (see FIG. 1A). These carriages, like thefirst carriage 32, are equipped with grippers as at 76a and 77a, whichagain confine the longitiudinal edges of the film. During retraction ofthe second and third carriages, which are tied together by means ofconnecting rods 80, with the carriage 76 being connected to the firstcarriage 32 by means of connecting rod 81, the film 21 is substantiallyimmobilized. A slight movement is provided both under the filling head54 and over the jogger rails 87.

The slight movement under the filling head 54 is seen in FIGS. 9-11,where the rear portion of the mold 210 is first filled, and ultimately,after the forward portion has been filled as seen in FIG. 10, theadvancement of the web 21' develops a reversely folded tail as at 21d inFIG. 11.

At the jogging or settling section, a high point cam as at 85 develops aseries of jolts or impacts which cause the ribbon-like folds of FIG. 11to become eradicated and a homogeneous mold-less patty of the characterof FIG. 5 develops.

The cast butter is thus agitated to develop a flat upper surface. Itwill be appreciated that other forms of settling may be employed whichinclude sonic vibrations, mechanical pressing, accentric mechanicalvibration, etc. We prefer a bottom impact, however, since thiseliminates the need for any mechanism above the tray of patties whichmakes access diificult, inspection somewhat more complicated, andprovides some problems of cleaning and maintenance.

The operation is advantageously carried out with the butter temperaturearound P. so as to make available the slightly greater fluidity ofbutter in the higher range of the danger zone, but maintaining thetemperature sufiiciently below 92 F. so as not to bring about abreakdown of the emulsion characteristic of good butter. Fluidity issomewhat enhanced by whipping the butter prior to entry into the hopper55. In the past, whipped butter has presented a real packaging problem,since any pressure has upset the weight and uniformity of the airdistribution. Heretofore, highly whipped zbutter has been marketed incups, as contrasted to rectangular shapes employed for unwhipped butter.

In the practice of the invention, we find it advantageous to provide thebutter sufficiently fluid to change its shape under vibration or impact,but essentially too stiff to settle into its mold without appreciablemechanical force.

Ultimately, the segments of film as at 21e (defined by the transverselines of severance 21b and 210) are refrigerated into condition suitablefor removal of the discrete individually cast butter patties 21 of FIG.5 as by the operation illustrated in FIG. 5A, or mechanically throughthe application of pressure when the perimetric edges of the segment 21eare confined in the fashion illustrated in the above-mentionedapplication Serial No. 266,591, file-d March 20, 1963.

While in the foregoing specification a detailed description of anembodiment of the invention has been set down for the purpose ofexplanation thereof, many variations in the details herein given may bemade by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit andscope of the invention. And it is understood that, while this inventionis described with the use of butter, it applies also to such relatedfoods as margarine, processed cheese, jellies, chocolates, and any othersubstance which may be processed in a fluid phase and consumed in asolid phase.

We claim:

1. In apparatus for the casting of butter patties, or the like, anelongated frame, means at one end of said frame for providing acontinuous web of flexible thermoplastic material, means on said frameadjacent said one end for developing transverse rows of embossed moldsin said web, means on said frame intermediate the ends thereof forsimultaneously filling a transverse row of said molds with fluidizedbutter, and means adjacent the other end of said frame for mechanicallysettling said butter to develop a substantially flat top surface on thebutter in said molds.

2. The structure of claim 1 in which said frame is equipped with anorbital carriage operatively associated with said filling means toprovide a slight retrograde movement of said web during filling of saidmolds.

3. The structure of claim 1 in which said frame is equipped with aplurality of web carriages, each carriage being equipped with grippingmeans for confining the edges of said web thereagainst, one of saidcarriages being operatively associated with said filling means andanother with the means for forming molds in said web, and meansadjustably connecting the last-mentioned carriages.

4. The structure of claim 1 in which said settling means includes aplurality of support rails for supporting the mold-equipped web, andmeans including a movable high point cam for jogglin'g said rails.

5. In apparatus for casting butter patties, or the like.

1 1 an elongated frame, a source of thermoplastic web material mountedadjacent one end of said frame, a first carriage on said frame forincrementally advancing said web, mold-forming heater and die means onsaid frame adjacent said one end for developing molds in said film whensaid first carriage is not advancing said film, a second carriagecoupled to said first carriage and spaced longitudinally therefrom onsaid frame for advancing said film, a filling head mounted on said framefor delivering fluid food material to the Web molds between the times'said second carriage is advancing said web, a filling head carriageunder said filling head mounted on said frame for orbital movement ofthe mold-equipped web relative to said fillling head, said filling headcarriage being equipped with gripping means for immobilizing said webrelative to said filling head carriage during filling of ment with thebottom of said web adjacent said third carriage between the times saidthird carriage is advancing said web, and stationary gripper means onsaid frame adjacent said joggling means for immobilizing thelongitudinal edges of said web adjacent said jogglin-g means.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,980,539 4/1961Bevarly 99179 X SAMUEL KOREN, Primary Examiner.

ALDRICH F. MEDBERY, Examiner.

5/1962 Peters 156486

1. IN APPARATUS FOR THE CASTING OF BUTTER PATTIES, OR THE LIKE, ANELEONGATED FRAME, MEANS AT ONE END OF SAID FRAME FOR PROVIDING ACONTINOUS WEB OF FIEXIBLE THERMEPLASTIC MATERIAL, MEANS ON SAID FRAMEADJACENT SAID ONE END FOR DEVELOPING TRANSVERSE ROWS OF EMBOSSED MOLDSIN SAID WEB, MEANS ON SAID FRAME INTERMEDIATE THE ENDS